


A Different Kind Of Special Service

by syriala



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Depression, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Non-Sexual Intimacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-28
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-02-12 06:12:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12953070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/syriala/pseuds/syriala
Summary: Once Stiles found out about Derek's not so good days he decided to offer a special service to help.





	A Different Kind Of Special Service

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anodyneer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anodyneer/gifts).



> This is my gift for the wonderful anodyneer, who wanted fluff and hurt/comfort among other things. I chose those two because what better to write for a Christmas gift than that. I hope you enjoy it!

“Derek?” Stiles called out the moment he rushed into the loft. “Hey, where are you?”

He got no response, but that didn’t deter him. He made his way through the loft steadily, checking the kitchen, the bathroom and then, when he couldn’t find Derek, making his way upstairs.

He checked the two guest bedrooms first, but Derek wasn’t in either of them, so he finally opened the door to Derek’s bedroom.

Stiles knew that it could be considered a grave invasion of privacy, but they were having a pack meeting and Derek hadn’t shown up. He didn’t answer his phone either and while everyone more or less shrugged it off, Stiles was worried. Too much shit happened to Derek to simply let this be.

Stiles hadn’t realized how worried he truly was until he saw a Derek shaped lump in his bed.

“Dude,” he sighed, “you worried me.”

Stiles walked around the bed, but all he could make out of Derek was his hair and closed eyes. The blanket was pulled up over his nose and he wasn’t really moving. He didn’t react to Stiles either.

“Derek, are you okay?” he carefully asked and one eye finally blinked open.

“Go away,” Derek rasped out, curling tighter into his blanket.

“What’s going on? We had a pack meeting that you missed. You never miss pack meetings,” Stiles told Derek but he just glared at him.

“Leave me alone,” Derek said, voice muffled by the blanket still covering the lower half of his face and Stiles frowned.

Stiles decided to just risk it, and he flopped down on top of Derek, starfished right over him, and dug his chin in Derek’s shoulder to look at the part of his face he could see. But even this didn’t seem to do much. Derek tensed for a few seconds before he went completely limp and Stiles hummed.

“Are you having a bad day?” he carefully asked, keeping his voice even, so that he didn’t sound accusing.

He had wondered about Derek’s mental health, with all the shit he had to go through, and it seemed more than logical that he would have some psychological problems, like depression and PTSD. So far he hadn’t really seen any signs of that, but maybe Derek was just really good at faking it.

“Yes,” Derek said after a few moments and Stiles nodded.

“Alright. Do you need anything? Do you want me to leave you alone?” he asked, fully prepared to get whatever Derek would ask for.

“No,” Derek answered and before Stiles could inquire which question he just answered Derek whispered “Stay,” into his blanket.

Stiles was about to get off Derek, when he realized that Derek could have thrown him off easily, could have wriggled and indicated his displeasure at having Stiles draped all over him, and how he didn’t.

Stiles knew about bad days, knew how a hug or cuddling with someone was sometimes making all the difference and so in the end he didn’t move an inch. Derek didn’t make him either.

~*~

Derek was back to his usual grumpy and glaring self the next day.

He didn’t say a word about the hours Stiles had spent in his bed the previous day, and so neither did Stiles.

When Scott had asked him about Derek later that evening Stiles had told him he was fine, everything was alright, no need to worry and that had been that. Stiles was glad he hadn’t said anything now if Derek was unwilling to bring it up himself.

Still, when Derek vanished into the kitchen to get something to drink, Stiles followed him.

“You alright?” he lowly asked him, aware of all the wolves in the living room.

“Fine,” Derek gave back, not even looking at Stiles and that did sting a little bit even though Stiles could understand.

Derek had been vulnerable yesterday and he had let Stiles in and now the doubt and second thoughts set in. It was a normal process.

“Okay,” Stiles said and briefly reached out to squeeze his shoulder.

Derek leaned into the contact, but he kept it brief and was already moving away from Stiles before he could fully retract his hand.

Stiles wouldn’t say he payed more attention to Derek after that, that was hardly possible, but he did start to notice the little things.

Like how Derek always kept away from the others, how he dodged contact like his life depended on it, but also the look on his face when Erica just jumped on Boyd and demanded to be cuddled, or when Malia and Kira leaned into each other on the couch.

When it was time to eat and everyone had spread out on the various couches and seats, Stiles made sure to be next to Derek and before he could overthink this, he sat close, pressing their legs together and making sure that their shoulders brushed every now and then.

Derek had glared at him too, at first, but by the end of the evening he seemed relaxed and was leaning more heavily against Stiles than before.

When the pack cleared out, Stiles lingered.

“It’s okay to want to be touched,” Stiles eventually said when he was sure that everyone was out of earshot and while he was gathering some cutlery. “It’s only natural, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Derek had stopped moving, back rigid and shoulders tense, and Stiles sighed.

“It’s absolutely fine,” he said again while he walked over to Derek, resting his forehead between his shoulder blades.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Derek grumbled and Stiles huffed out a laugh.

“Of course you don’t. But, you know. I’m always down for some contact and I am an a plus cuddler. And you have my number. Just saying.”

“You sound like you’re offering a service,” Derek said instead of acknowledging Stiles’ offer.

“Maybe I should make that my profession,” Stiles agreed, taking the very obvious deflection and running with it. “Providing professional cuddles. Payment has to be food and or drinks,” he joked. “Like a booty call, just for cuddles. A cuddle call. I could totally do that.”

Derek snorted but didn’t turn around to Stiles and avoided him for the rest of the clean-up. Stiles figured putting the offer out there had to be enough for now.

~*~

Just because Stiles decided to give Derek some time to mull over his cuddle offer didn’t mean he stopped with the casual touches.

He made sure to always greet Derek with a hand to the shoulder; when he wanted his attention Stiles lightly touched his arm. Seating arrangements were changed without a word, so that Stiles could sit next to Derek during movies and dinner, and after almost two weeks of this, it was Derek who sat down next to Stiles, who searched out the casual contact.

Stiles was immensely pleased with himself.

~*~

When his phone chimed and he saw that it was a text from Derek, Stiles paused the game.

He and Derek weren’t really texting each other so this demanded Stiles’ complete attention.

 _What food as payment_ was all the message read and Stiles had to smile at that.

 _Chinese is always good_ he wrote back and then resumed his game.

He didn’t really expect an answer from Derek and he also didn’t get one, but this was already a step in the right direction.

~*~

 _I have Chinese here_ Derek sent him a few days later and Stiles fondly rolled his eyes at that.

Leave it up to Derek to ask for cuddles without even really asking.

Stiles was at the loft twenty minutes later, and when he let himself in, the table was littered with take out containers, but Derek wasn’t in sight.

Stiles stored the containers in the fridge and then jogged up to Derek’s bedroom where he found him under his blanket again.

This time Stiles didn’t hesitate and just flung himself on top of Derek, spreading out over him like last time. He briefly nosed at Derek’s hairline before he settled down and could feel Derek relax under him.

“Didn’t eat,” Derek grumbled and Stiles shrugged as best as he could, lying like that.

“Payment comes after the service. And you’ll need something too,” he added.

“’M not hungry,” Derek said and Stiles nodded.

“Okay,” he agreed and he didn’t point out that that might change.

No need to start a fight now.

“So, I’m not complaining, really not, but this seems kind of an unconventional cuddle. What’s up with that?” Stiles carefully asked from his position on top of Derek, anticipating Derek shrugging him off or something but nothing happened for a long time.

“Feels good,” Derek whispered eventually. “Weighed down, secure.”

“Okay,” Stiles gave back, surprised that Derek answered him at all.

And he could kind of see it, the comfort of someone on top, the weight a steady reminder that someone was there. It made sense.

~*~

 _Pizza_ Derek’s next message read and Stiles laughed out loud.

 _Is that a demand or an offering?_ he sent back and his phone chimed a few seconds later.

_Offering_

The pizza was waiting for him on the table, just like the Chinese had, and Stiles grabbed a slice before he made his way up the stairs.

When he entered the bedroom, Derek was lying on his back, hands covering his face and Stiles stopped in his tracks.

It was a noticeable change from Derek’s usually curled up position and while it could potentially be awkward to just flop down on Derek, Stiles shrugged it off. Derek would tell him if he didn’t want it, Stiles was sure of that.

He swallowed the last bites of his pizza before he flopped down on Derek like he usually did.

This time however, Derek’s arms were slung around his middle to hold him, and then suddenly Derek rolled them over, so that they were on their sides.

Stiles was at a loss what to do with his arms now with their changed positions but it only lasted a few seconds before he curled them around Derek.

“This isn’t going to magically heal me, or make me better,” Derek told him, voice steady, but avoiding eye contact.

“I know,” Stiles gave back, because he did know that. “But it might just make it more bearable.”

Derek pulled him closer at that, tucked him into his chest, and Stiles was pretty sure he felt Derek press a kiss into his hair.

“Thank you,” he whispered and Stiles snuggled closer.

“You’re welcome, big guy,” he said and they stayed like that for a very long time.


End file.
